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Every seven minutes an Indian woman dies from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, which adds up to approximately 130,000 women per year.
India’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is as high as 407 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, about four times higher than the National Population Policy (NPP) 2010 goal of 100 per 100,000 births. Regional disparities in maternal mortality are wide. For example, maternal mortality is considerably lower in states like Kerala and Punjab. In contrast in as many as 10 of the 15 major states (Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal) MMRs exceed 400 per 100,000 live births. Of these, three states (Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh) have MMRs as high as 700 or more. ( WHO, Improving Maternal, Newborn and Child Health in the South-East Asia Region).
There are a number of reasons India has such a high maternal mortality ratio. Marriage and childbirth at an early age, lack of adequate health care facilities, inadequate nutrition and absence of skilled personnel all contribute to pregnancies proving fatal.
Over the last six years, there has been no significant reduction in the maternal mortality ratio.
Antenatal care: Both the National Family Health Survey-1 (NFHS-1) and NFHS-2 found that only 60 per cent of rural women and 86 per cent of urban pregnant women in India receive antenatal checkups.
Attendance at delivery: NFHS-2 data indicates that during the three years preceding the survey, one-third of the births (34 per cent) took place in a health facility and two-thirds at home (53 per cent took place at women’s own homes, and 12 per cent at their parent’s homes). Though the proportion of deliveries assisted by health professionals has increased, the majority continue to be attended by unskilled personnel.
Though 60 per cent of all maternal deaths occur after delivery, NFHS-2 indicates that less than 17 per cent of women who gave birth at home received any postpartum care within two months of the birth and a mere 5 per cent received postpartum care within 7 days of delivery (when the majority of maternal and neonatal deaths occur).
Women have little say in their own health. Only 52 per cent of women are involved in decision-making on their own health care.
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